Ornithodorus savignyi, Audouin, 1827.
At one time considered the same as the preceding species, but can be easily separated by the presence of two pairs of eyes. It is widely spread over Africa and has been found in South India and at Aden. In the Sudan it occurs in large numbers. King[349] records that a few miles N.N.E. of Khartoum 370 specimens were collected in two hours under a single tree by a well. It is found in Somaliland, where relapsing fever occurs and no O. moubata, which it probably replaces as a transmitter (Drake-Brockman, “Rep. Col. Office,” April 6 and April 16, 1913). It also occurs in Tunis, where the natives call it “tobbiah” (Weiss, Arch. de l’Inst. Pasteur de Tunis, 1912, pt. 4, p. 226).
Ornithodorus coriaceus, Koch.
Found in Mexico, Paraguay and California. Attacks man.
Ornithodorus talaje, Guerin, 1849.
An eyeless species with somewhat elongate pentagonal body found in Mexico and South America, called the “chinche.” A variety of it (coniceps) is found at Venice, etc., and another variety on various islands in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic. Its bite is very painful to man.
Ornithodorus turicata, Dugès, 1876.
Without eyes. Indigenous in Central America; attacks human beings and pigs. The bite is painful and is often followed by serious consequences.
[So virulent is this species that pigs put in an infested sty often die in a night. This “turicatas” of Mexico often reaches 6 mm. in length.—F. V. T.]